In Honor of Mother's Day
by femme4jack
Summary: Spike recalls his most vivid memory


**Title: In Celebration of Mother's Day  
Author: Femme4jack  
Summary: written for TF_ic_prompts  
Characters/Pairings: G1 Spike & Carly Witwicky, Ratchet, Wheeljack, Perceptor  
Ratings/Warning: PG  
Disclaimer: just playing with them. **

From the outside looking in, you might guess that my most vivid memory would be the day Dad and I discovered humans weren't alone in the universe as we faced death and then salvation at the hands of giants.

From the outside looking in, you might think that it would be the first time I set foot on an alien world.

From the outside looking in, you might wonder if it was the day Optimus died, or the day he came back.

Perhaps if you looked at my life from the outside, you might ask about going back in time, finding real dinosaurs, having my consciousness uploaded into what felt like a monster, or nearly being consumed by Unicron.

I don't blame you, looking in from the outside, for thinking these things.

As exciting as it has all been, the moment that changed my life more than any other had only a little to do with the Autobots, although Bumblebee was there, and so were Ratchet, Wheeljack, and Percy (for research purposes). Not like Ratchet would have allowed us to entrust this moment to any dimwitted human doctor. I think if we had tried to head to the hospital, Optimus would have kidnapped (human-napped?) us himself. We knew better than to argue, and med bay was honestly where we wanted to be. Carly had said that she would do best in the place where she was most comfortable, and that was among our giant friends.

Ratchet ordered med bay sealed after one too many mechs (including Optimus) burst in at the sound of Carly screaming, and threatened to weld Prime's aft to the ceiling if anyone (Sideswipe) managed to override the lock.

Carly was so stubborn, and so strong. She insisted on doing this _natural_, even though Ratchet could have blocked her pain in ways much more effective than an epidural. But, surprisingly, there was no tirade about her insistence of remaining aware of her own body. In fact, Ratchet agreed with her and backed her up when halfway through the labor I started pushing for something to help her because of my own fear of her pain.

"Spike, human women have been doing this for as long as there have been human women. Carly's body is strong, and this is a low risk birth. The pain her body feels is not a bad thing. She has learned to be in tune with her own body, and the pain will guide her to bring this baby out safely. I'm only on hand if something goes wrong. Your human doctors intervene far too often in what is a natural process, and have taught women to fear what should make them feel powerful. And more than half the time, it is those interventions that lead to the problems at birth. Trust Carly. She can do this."

Bumblebee freaked out and had to be put in forced recharge once the pushing started. I really wished I could join him.

17 hours of labor. 2 hours of pushing. Carly was a rock. She was turned inward, in tune with herself, sometimes shaky or even angry, but always strong. I felt completely helpless and useless. You know, all of those years as a friend to aliens who could squish me in a second, I never felt _useless_. But now, watching my wife become the embodiment of strength and courage, I actually felt small, insignificant.

It must have shown, because that is when Ratchet did yell at me. "Get your pit-spawned sorry excuse for a processor out of that pity party and tell your wife how good she is doing! She is nearly in transition, and she is going to need you reassure her that she can do this."

Carly, or course, researched birthing as much as she researched her dissertation, and decided by her 4th month that she wanted to give birth in the water. Once again, _midwife_ Ratchet completely agreed with her decision. So wouldn't you know it, when the day came, somehow the nicest, warmest, most comfortable pool for two was right on top a med bay table, next to a normal looking bed for her to lie down in when she was done. As she went into transition, I got into the water with her and held her up as she screamed, and whispered in her ear between contractions how strong, beautiful, and completely amazing she was. Her scream wasn't like someone who was terrified. It was the scream of someone who was utterly strong, roaring her strength.

When Daniel's head crowned, Wheeljack's hand took my place behind Carly and I moved in front of her like Ratchet had taught me. "Ok Carly, hold off," _calm, peaceful_ Ratchet said (I doubted anyone who hadn't seen it would believe how good his bedside manner was). "The chord is around the baby's neck. Baby is fine, no worries, but Spike is going to slip it right up and over. Before you give that final push. Got it, Spike?"

And suddenly, I was completely calm. It was as though Carly's strength and Ratchet's uncharacteristic peace just filled me up. I slipped chord over that dark little head of hair, then Carly gave one last push and suddenly my hands were full of a beautiful, warm, wet, slippery, dark haired….BOY.

"It's a boy!" I yelled, tears streaming down my face, as I pulled him out of the water and laid him on Carly's chest. _Doula_ Wheeljack covered the little guy with blankets so he wouldn't get chilled as Carly held him against her breast, laughing and crying.

"Oh Daniel, you are so beautiful. You are the most beautiful thing in the whole world. I'm so glad you are here. It was worth every minute," she crooned to him, over and over again.

I know it must sound so cheesy, but there is nothing like watching your wife turn into a goddess, and holding your own son as he takes his first breath of air and bellows a healthy scream.

The memory was made just that more special by witnessing Percy and Jack DANCE around med bay, and looking up to Ratchets warm smile from where he leaned over the pool while we laughed, cried, and sang to our little Daniel.

Nothing, not even Autobots, changes your life like becoming a daddy.


End file.
